THE FIRST PAPER-MAKERS 277 
patch. But I lost the use of both eyes for a 
couple of days for my pains. After that you may 
be sure I pitied her arduous labors no longer. 
And she really didn’t need my assistance; for the 
babies were grown up in short order, ready to 
take their places as willing workers in enlarging 
their home and building new cradles, that more 
workmen might be supplied. 
“ There was no more earnest labor on the farm 
that season than went on down there behind the 
old shed. Such rasping and splintering of wood 
and plant fibers; such chewing, kneading, and 
pommeling; such turning, drying and fitting. In 
place of the humble little paper cot of a dozen 
cradles there soon rose a stately edifice, fully as 
large as a huge grapefruit, with countless cradles 
for young Baldfaces. But not yet was the 
Queen’s ambition satisfied. Indeed, it was plain 
that only the very best that each one could do, 
working might and main, would be acceptable. 
Thus, daily additions were made to their paper 
palace, and the continuous and ever increasing 
clamors for fly meat and fruit juices kept every 
one on the wing, notwithstanding that young re¬ 
cruits were constantly reaching maturity and 
joining the working hordes. With the advent of 
the young queens and drones, matters reached 
the pinnacle. I sometimes wondered if the 
frantically busy little folks ever slept. Then af- 
